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Alice’s All New Wonderland-Tim Burton’s Playground

4 March 2010 by Suzannah Otis 12 Comments

Walt Disney's Alice in Wonderland poster
I have this poster, from Sid Cahuenga's at Disney's Hollywood Studios...

Those who know me offline know I am rather obsessed with Alice in Wonderland. If I could, my entire house, or at the very least a room, would be themed to Alice in Wonderland. Shockingly, I was never TOO into the Disney animated film when I was little – it just always seemed too long. But as I got older, I grew to love Disney’s Cheshire cat and Alice herself. Tom Petty’s Don’t Come Around Here No More video is still one of my favorites. In college I may have owned a tie-dyed t-shirt featuring the iconic caterpillar, but I don’t think I was wearing if for the same reason everyone else was. {I did go through an innocent phase of tie-dyed shirt-crystal-necklace wearing in college…Stacy and Clinton would’ve had a field day with me. Ok, they probably still would. But I digress…}

John Tenniel's Mad Hatter
The Mad Hatter stamp from John Tenniel's illustrations

Also back then, I was into rubber stamps and making my own note cards {this was WAY before “Stampin Up” and scrap-booking came on the scene} and discovered this adorable little shop in Harvard Square called “Good Good the Elephant“. Don’t bother googling, it’s long since closed down, sadly. The store was in a tiny house, with the front room full of unique and whimsical collectibles, while the back room was full of different paper, stamps, inks, embossing powder, etc. So I was able to start my rubber stamp collection with a full Alice in Wonderland set of the original Tenniel illustrations, which I still have and use to this day.

I also collected a couple of framed mirrors. The larger one was 8×10 and featured Alice holding a flamingo, with the Cheshire Cat in the top corner. Inscribed on the bottom is “…and the Cat only grinned.” The smaller one featured the White Rabbit and said “…and the Rabbit scurried away.” They were like frames, so you could stand them up on a table. There was a whole set; the Queen of Hearts, The Mad Hatter, the cards…I longed to collect them all but being at the time a poor high school student never got around to completing the set before they stopped carrying them. I just googled prior to writing this, and they appear to be nowhere and I can’t find anything about the company. Anyway. I have them displayed in my bathroom, and that’s really the extent of my Alice decor.

In addition to my interest in Alice, I have always been a Tim Burton fan. Veering off into all things unusual is just sort of the way I grew up and still am. My parents fostered my interest in musicals and theatre, my sister is an artist, my brother was always playing non-main-stream music. All of that just led to me having a penchant for black and white striped tights, listening to Robyn Hitchcock and a million other bands not played on the radio, and falling in love with Tim Burton movies.

Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter
Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter with Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum

Of course I was delighted when his first full-length animated feature paired him back with Disney again. The Nightmare Before Christmas is such a work of art, I was happy my kids ended up loving it too. I wasn’t really too into Corpse Bride, but I had his other live-action movies to keep me entertained. Now that Alice in Wonderland is set to release tomorrow, I couldn’t be more excited. The fantastical world Lewis Carroll created seems to be the perfect playground for the mind of Tim Burton. I’m a little wary of how crazy Johnny Depp looks {but then he is a MAD hatter after all…} and I’m hoping Alice grows on me once I see the film {she seems a bit shy from the previews} but I’m confident the backgrounds, the tiny details and the world the audience will be immersed in, will be Burton at his finest.

I’ll be sure to write a review once I see it, but I’d love to hear what you’re expecting {or not} from this version of the classic Alice in Wonderland story. What is your favorite interpretation?

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Filed Under: Family Memories Tagged With: Alice in Wonderland, Disney movies, Family Memories, Tim Burton

About Suzannah Otis

A child of the 80's, Zanna climbed trees and roller-skated till the streetlights came on. She sipped her her first iced coffee at age 10 and never looked back. Growing up outside of Boston, all of these things shaped her life, as did the original EPCOT Center, which brought her where she is today.

Zanna is the mother of 2 adult humans, a 13-year old (also human), and 6 (yes, 6) cats. She is also the wife to one husband, who lovingly puts up with all of the above. Zanna tries to find that one little spark in everything, and thanks you very much for taking the time to read this.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jud says

    4 March 2010 at

    MY fav interpretation has always been, and I expect it to continue to be… Mickey Through the Looking Glass!!! That is the main reason I bought the DVD of Alice!

    Reply
  2. Birki says

    4 March 2010 at

    Should we worry about Alice in Wonderland being my 4-year-old’s favorite ride in all of Disneyland? My wife and I had to take shifts going on Alice with her last fall so that people could do other things too. She is also a little too fond of the psychedelic “Heffalumps and Woozles” sequence in the Pooh & Friends ride…

    Oh yeah, and we live in Santa Cruz, CA.

    Motive AND opportunity, your honor. :-/

    Reply
  3. Debbie Hudson says

    4 March 2010 at

    Okay, girl. I’m just now reading this post. I had no idea at all! Are you going to be “containable” tomorrow night? Now, I feel like I’m going w/the expert! You will have to fill me in on all the little things that will (obviously) go right over my head!

    Maybe we will need a dessert after the movie!

    Reply
  4. Zanna says

    5 March 2010 at

    Oooh, that’s an excellent idea!

    I definitely wouldn’t call myself an *expert*…but I am a fan. lol. Not
    quite on the Disney fan level, but pretty close. I shall try to contain
    myself. 😉

    Reply
  5. Zanna says

    5 March 2010 at

    HAHA. Aww, poor girl! If it makes you feel any better, I enjoy all of those
    things without the benefit of psychedelic influences so there’s still hope.
    😉

    Reply
  6. Zanna says

    5 March 2010 at

    That IS a good one, almost forgot about that Jud, thanks for the reminder!

    Reply
  7. Jud says

    5 March 2010 at

    Ahhhh… California? Goes with the turf! 🙂

    Reply
  8. Bixie23 says

    5 March 2010 at

    I thought Syfy network did a really great new take on Alice with their miniseries a few months ago. As to the new film, I too am a Tim Burton fan (to the chagrin of my hubby who wants nothing to do with his movies) so I have high hopes. I think this new Alice, being older and less prone to curiosity, may disappoint, but I will wait to make judgment until after I see the movie.

    Reply
  9. Jud says

    5 March 2010 at

    Huh! Never heard about SyFY ALice- but after what they did with Dune and Prisoner, eh. Pretty but hollow.

    Reply
  10. Zanna says

    5 March 2010 at

    Jud, I was pretty skeptical about the SyFy Alice, but actually really liked
    it. They spun a good story and despite some questionable acting, it was
    pretty good overall. 😉

    Reply
  11. Jud says

    5 March 2010 at

    Okay- you’re the expert! If you say so. Might be on SyFy .com so maybe I will take a look. 🙂

    Reply
  12. michellepeters says

    5 March 2010 at

    I have the same poster, also got it at Sid’s! Love it.

    Reply

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